A Taste of Heaven

I think it all started with watching an episode of The Amazing Race. Ever since my wife and I first sat through a sixty-minute episode of one of the most popular reality TV shows that showcases the beauty and wonder of the many travel destinations around the world, we have been updating our bucket list of top places to visit every year. And since we consider ourselves practical travellers, not to mention there are some visa requirements we have to meet in order to visit certain countries, after doing some research, I believe we have come to an agreement as to our top pick for our dream destination. As early as now, Rizza and I have been saving up for a trip to Nepal, a slice of Heaven on Earth.

As many travellers from all around the world have testified, Nepal is perhaps the most budget friendly (minus the plane ticket, depending on where you’ll be coming from) haven hidden away from the hustle and bustle of the world. The people there and generally friendlier than in most corners of the globe, and of course, it is home to one of the greatest wonders of the world: the majestic Himalayas!

It is, therefore, no surprise that the name Himalayas invites images of grandeur, close to describing what it is like to witness Heaven on Earth. It is equally no surprise to find out that one of the best mysteries uncovered in the world of health lies in a mineral of the same name. The secret ingredient that is the key to unlocking a universe of health benefits is the Himalayan salt.

Compared to sea salt and common table salt, Himalayan or pink salt (as how it appears) is the cleanest (99% pure, in fact). The most common type of salt most people consume is table salt. What is not so common, however, is how utterly devoid of any essential minerals it really is. Alana Ketler from collective-evolution.com describes how unhealthy table salt is:

[T]able salt is completely stripped of the majority of its minerals with the exception of sodium and chloride. It is then bleached, cleaned with chemicals, and heated at extremely high temperatures. The iodine added to table salt is almost always synthetic, which is difficult for our bodies [to] absorb properly. It is treated with anti-caking agents, which prevent the salt from dissolving in water and clumping in the salt container. These same agents then prevent the salt from absorbing into our own bodies, which leads to a buildup and deposit within the organs. This can cause severe health problems. Studies have shown that for each gram of table salt consumed that the body cannot process, your body will use 20 TIMES the amount of cellular water to neutralize the sodium chloride present in this chemically treated salt.

Dr. Axe adds that table salt is “very heavily processed, eliminating its minerals.” In fact, sometimes table salt includes many other unnecessary elements, i.e., iodine (usually synthetic), yellow prussiate of soda, or aluminium derivatives, that only make it less ideal for consumption and a healthy diet.

Regarding sea salt, Alana adds a good point, that is, though it may be healthier than table salt, it is still not as beneficial to our health what with our oceans “becoming more and more polluted each year.” In the end, the more pure the salt, obviously the more benefits it has, thus, the better it is for our health.

So just how healthy exactly is Himalayan salt? Compared to other salts, pink salt has over 84 minerals and trace elements, including: calcium, magnesium, potassium, copper, and iron. The reason why it is so pure is because, according to Dr. Axe, “Himalayan salt is believed to be composed of dried remnants of the original, primal sea.” That’s four billion years ago! You can’t get any purer than that. While “Salt is essential,” says Dr. Axe, “for maintaining healthy functioning of the body’s cells, nerve conduction, digestion, as well as the absorption of nutrients and the elimination of waste products,” he focuses on the top five benefits of Himalayan salt in particular.

First among these is that pink salt improves respiratory problems. According to the Lung Institute, “Salt is antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, loosens excessive mucus and speeds up mucus clearance, removes pathogens in the air like pollen, and decreases IgE level (immune system oversensitivity).” In fact, it is so beneficial for our lungs that the use of halotherapy (“halo” is Greek for “salt”) has proven to be very effective in treating chronic bronchitis. Secondly, pink salt balances the body’s pH, which helps foster our immunity and encourage good digestion. Thirdly, Himalayan salt is a natural digestive aid. A daily dose of sole (pronounced “solay”) made using this salt “stimulate the peristalsis of the digestive organs, balance the stomach acid, support the production of digestive fluids in the liver and pancreas, regulate the metabolism and harmonize the acid-alkaline balance,” according to Dr. Marc Sircus. (For those of you who are not familiar with sole, just like me, it is “water that has been fully saturated with a natural salt. This isn’t just a small amount of salt dissolved in water, but rather water that has absorbed as much natural salt as it is able and will not absorb any more; this concentrated salt solution can have a variety of health-supporting uses.” At least this is according to Wellness Mama.) Fourth, Himalayan salt serves as a perfect air purifier. Salt lamps made from this pink mineral “attracts water vapor to it as well as air pollutants. The water vapor evaporates due the lamp’s heat, but the dust and allergens remain in the salt instead of getting into your body.” Last but not least, Himalayan salt induces better sleep. According to Dr. Michael V. Vitiello, “low levels of sodium in the blood cause blood volume to decrease, and the sympathetic nervous system becomes more active in order to compensate. That causes sleepers to wake up more often and have difficulty going back to sleep.” A healthy diet that includes pink salt is an easy way to keep insomnia at bay.

These, of course, are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the multitude of benefits that pink salt brings to our bodies—all the way from the Himalayas, if I may add! Though it may be significantly pricier compared to other salt alternatives, Himalayan salt’s benefits far outweigh its cost. Just as I’m sure my wife and I would enjoy our trip to Nepal when it finally happens, you can be certain that a pinch of this pink dust will give you a taste of Heaven, leaving you with all its healthy goodness.

SOURCES:

https://draxe.com/pink-himalayan-salt/

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/315081.php

http://www.collective-evolution.com/2016/02/01/this-is-what-happens-to-your-body-when-you-eat-pink-himalayan-salt/

https://wellnessmama.com/12158/make-sole/